Court marking tape



Feb. 14, 1933. R, HEAD, 1,897,801

COURT MARKING TAPE Filed May 18, 1932 Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES RAYMOND HEALY, OF .NEW YORK, N. Y.

COURT MARKING TAPE Application filed May 18, 1932. Serial No. 612,052.

My present invention relates to tapes particularly adapted for use in the outlining or marking of courts for the playing of games, such as tennis, badminton, deck tennis, volA 5 iey bau, and ai@ like.

Courts laid out for the playing of these games have their boundaries and sections outlined or defined either by the use of a paint, or a tape. The court marking tape heretofore universally utilized has comprised a strip or band of textile fabric, laid upon the ground and secured thereto by staples or the like. Such textile fabric tapes, however, are

.1,5 possessed of many disadvantages. Being exout of place by the wind, soon presenting a bedraggled appearance and interfering with the players uring games, causing tripping and the like. Furthermore, being of textile fabric, such as webbing, and porous, dust,

Y 2.5 dirt and other foreign matter is rapidly absorbed and the tape soon becomes dirty and unattractive. Likewise, these textile fabric tapes are very short-lived, lasting but a few months before they are no longer fit V'i n "0 for service.

An important object of the present invention, therefore, resides in the provision of a court marking tape which will eliminate and obviate all of the above enumerated disad- 5 vant-ages and will be possessed of numerous advantages not possible of attainment in the customary textile fabric tape as heretofore used.

My present novel court marking tape comprises a strip or band of textile material, treated, prepared or provided in such a manner as not to absorb moisture, dirt, dust, or other foreign matter, and which will also lie flat on the surface upon which it is laid, will retain its shape and color, and will be long-lived, thus representing a marked economy in the upkeep and main tenance of a court so equipped.

I have discovered that an eiiicient tape of this character may be prepared by utilizing a strip or band of textile materiahof proper and predetermined length and width, and adhering thereto, on each side thereof, a band or strip of rubber of the same dimensions as said textile fabric strip.

This may be accomplished by first frictioning each surface of the textile fabric band, which may be accomplished by a double frictioning operation, and then securing, by vulcanizing or in any other suitable manner, to each surface of the double frictioned fabric strip, a strip or band of rubber of the same dimensions as said fabric strip. Or this material may be made in sheet formation, and tapes of predetermined length and width severed therefrom after completion. The rubber utilizedy may be of any desired shade or color, such as whit-e, this being the predominating color utilizedin marking courts for games. The presence of the textile fabric band will prevent stretching or contracting of the tape, and the presence of the rubber or waterproof material on each side of the fabric will repel the entrance of moisture, dirt, dust, and other deteriorating or injurious elements. The very nature of a tap-e thus constructed will cause it to lie flat upon the surface of the court, and when properly secured in position, will afford a long lasting marking B0 which will retain its size, shape and color through a long life of usefulness.

l believe that a court marking tape of this character is novel, and have therefore claimed the same broadly in this application.

All of the above and other obj ects and features of the invention, details of construction, combinations of parts and advantages, will be hereinafter more fully pointed out, described and claimed.

Referring to the drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a tennis court marked and defined by my novel tape;

5 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional perspec- 9 tive view, on an enlarged scale, of my novel tape; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating the method of attaching the ends of my novel tape.

Referring now to the drawing, for a particular description of the invention, 1 designates generally my novel tape, which, in the preferred form, comprises a strip or band 2 of suitable textile material, double frictioned, as illustrated at 3 and 4, and having a strip or band of rubber adhered thereto on each surface thereof, as illustrated at 5 and 6. A tape thus constructed will be very iieXible, but will not have any tendency to curl or roll, and when supplied in rolls, and unrolled, will lie flat immediately upon unrolling.

Adjacent to each end of each strip is provided a grommet 7, through which a pin or other attaching device 8 may be driven, said pin having ahead 9 of greater width than the bore of said grommet, to thus hold the ends of said tape firmly on the court. The color of my novel tape is determined by the color of the rubber utilized as the surface Vmaterial, and will, of course, be such as to sharply contrast with the color of the surface of the court, and to clearly delineate and define the boundaries of the court and the various playing sections thereof. It will be appreciated that I am not limited to any particular color, and have merely mentioned white in this specification as generally representing the greatest contrast and clearest marking for a court of this nature.

The wearability of this tape far exceeds that of the customary textile fabric tape, and said tape will stand the scufling of feet and general court wear for many years, constantly retaining its shape, color and condition, and resulting in a vastly improved playing surface for games of the character above mentioned and similar games.

It will be understood and appreciated that other types of waterproof material may be utilized in place of the rubber herein de- RAYMOND HEALY.

scribed, and it will also be appreciated that I ,i

am not limited to the use of rubber as a waterproofiing material, as my invention contemplates the use of a textile fabric strip or band, waterproofed on each surface thereof to afford the advantages and benefits above set forth.

While I have necessarily described my present invention somewhat in detail, it will beA appreciated that I may vary the size, shape and colors or shades within wide ranges without departing from the spirit of the invention.

My invention is further described and defied in the form of claims as follows:

As an article of manufacture, a court marking tape comprising a. exible waterproof band of rubberized textile material having a low coeiiicient of contraction and expansion, said band being amply thick and heavy to lie flat upon the Ground without tendency to curl upwardly at its edges, said band further being light in color and having smooth substantially non-porous washable surfaces, and 

